St Andrews Bangkok IGCSE and IB Physics students gain real-world experience through summer internship

In early 2026, a group of IGCSE and IB Physics students from St Andrews Bangkok visited the Synchrotron Light Research Institute (SLRI) in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. The trip gave them the chance to explore cutting‑edge scientific research and engage directly with professional scientists.

Students discovered how a synchrotron particle accelerator produces beams of light powerful enough to reveal the hidden structures of materials and biological samples, making complex physics concepts tangible and relevant to their studies. A highlight of the visit was meeting particle physicist Taylor Yang, whose insights sparked lively discussion, especially among students preparing experiments for CERN’s Beamline for Schools competition, an international physics competition where high school students design real experiments to be carried out at particle accelerators such as CERN in Switzerland, DESY in Germany, or ELSA in Bonn.

Internship opportunities for students

Through our partnership with SLRI, the Physics Department offered internships to students interested in pursuing degrees in advanced engineering and physics. Over the summer break, ten students completed internships, each lasting about two weeks.

For many, this was their first experience working in a professional environment outside of school. Under the guidance of SLRI scientists, they contributed to projects involving vacuum chambers, magnetic octupoles, and electron acceleration cavities, gaining valuable insight into the practical applications of physics and engineering. They also supported the design and development of a new synchrotron in Rayong, Thailand, which will be the largest in Southeast Asia.

Mr Daniel, Head of Physics, reflected on the value of these opportunities: “The internship is a great chance for students to see what physics looks like outside the classroom. By working alongside real scientists and engineers at SLRI, they get to put their knowledge into practice, learn new skills and experience what it is actually like to work in a research environment. Hopefully, it also gives them the answer to why it is worth studying physics and where it could take them in the future.”

IGCSE and IB Students reflect on internship experience

The internships gave students a taste of what it means to be scientists, and their reflections highlight the experience’s impact.

Minon in Year 12 shared: “I really enjoyed working on CAD designs and working on the design for the septum to minimise magnetic field leakage for the septum that Mr Taylor Yang is developing for the new accelerator in Rayong. It was exciting to be part of such a big project and showed me how the physics we study in class connects to real engineering work.”

Manan in Year 13 described his internship as a turning point in how he sees engineering. “During the internship, I worked on CAD and FEA simulations using Fusion 360, where I performed thermal simulations and natural frequency simulations to analyse and improve a mechanical component. It was really interesting to see how changing different parts of the design affected its performance and to apply the physics and engineering concepts I learned in school to a real engineering problem. I also really enjoyed learning from the engineers at SLRI and getting a better understanding of what engineering is like in practice.”

Together, these reflections show how internships help students connect theory with practice, build confidence in their skills, and discover the excitement of building a career they are passionate about.

Building future‑ready, globally‑minded leaders

Partnerships and experiences with local institutions such as SLRI are an important way that St Andrews International School Bangkok connects classroom learning with the real world. For IGCSE and IB students, these opportunities provide a strong foundation as they begin to plan for life after graduation and consider future study and career pathways in science, engineering, and beyond.